Foundation Grants Funds to Historical SocietyBull
Shoals Historical Society President Bill Jeffrey (standing,
left) and Secretary Bob Harper (seated, left) with Bull
Shoals Mayor Margaret Hall (center) and South Shore Foundation
Trustee Jodie Elizabeth Jeffrey gather around the first
telephone system (PBX) used in Bull Shoals at the Crow Barnes
Resort in the early 1950s. The items are on loan by NATCO
to the new Bull Shoals Museum which opens July 4th. The
South Shore Foundation, the charitable arm of NATCO, recently
granted the historical society funding to reprint a souvenir
brochure entitled "A Pictorial History of Bull Shoals
Dam and the Town of Bull Shoals." The $2,940 grant
will make 5,000 copies of the brochure available at the
Bull Shoals Museum in the Kirby-Boaz building at 717 Central
Blvd., Bull Shoals, and at other sites. The museum's grand
opening is July 4 at 11 a.m. Hours are Thursday - Saturday,
10 - 3. Historical society volunteers did all the work except
hanging dry wall to remodel the 800-square foot space donated
by Kirby-Boaz Funeral Directors into a museum. Brooks-Jeffrey
Marketing donated design and production of a museum brochure.

Bull Shoals
Historical Society and the Bull Shoals Lake - White River Area
Chamber of Commerce are preparing for the Bull Shoals Museum's
Grand Opening on July 4th at 11 a.m. The museum
now has a permanent home in space donated by Kirby-Boaz Funeral
Directors, next to the funeral home at 717 Central Blvd. Museum
hours will be 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday through
October.

With grant
funding from the South Shore Foundation of $2,940, the historical
society is able to reprint a souvenir brochure for distribution
in the area and at the museum. Publicity materials for the museum
are also being donated by Brooks-Jeffrey Marketing, Inc.

An outdoor
tent with folding chairs will be the site of the grand opening
ceremony. It will include the present and past mayors of Bull
Shoals and music by the First Baptist Church summer youth group
and the Bull Shoals Community Bible Church. Fred Taylor, pastor
of the Presbyterian Church, and Baptist pastor Jerry Backus will
take part, as will mayors of other Marion County towns.

The historical
society's goal is to preserve the area's cultural heritage and
to educate the community about its history and the people who
made it. The museum will also serve as an attraction to visitors.
Permanent exhibits include items from the construction of Bull
Shoals Dam, with core samples from the dam construction site,
workers' time tags and pay stubs. The Corps of Engineers is providing
photos of dam construction over 50 years ago (1947-51).

Also on permanent
display will be items from all American wars dating back to World
War I, displays related to Bull Shoals civic clubs, fire departments,
the postal service, real estate sales - with original prices of
lots in Bull Shoals, the first telephone switchboard and telephone,
the first Bull Shoals newspaper, and other items of interest.

The public
is being asked to loan items to the historical society for display
in the museum. A special collections area will change periodically
and will feature items from the Civil War era, at first.

Bob Harper,
author of the local history book, History of Bull Shoals: The
Best Little Town by a Dam Site, and historical society secretary,
said proceeds from sales of the book went toward founding the
museum, which was the long-range goal of the historical society.
Some copies are still available for $15 at the museum. Other historical
books, pamphlets and souvenirs can be purchased at the museum
to help support the museum. Admission is free, but donations are
accepted.

The historical
society is pleased with the donated space because it has good
exposure on the main street of Bull Shoals. A new sign painted
in large letters on the window has been attracting attention,
members said. Nearly all work on the building to prepare it for
use as a museum was done by historical society members, with Harper
constructing the 10 oak and glass display cases at a great savings.

Betty Morrow,
whose family has been in Bull Shoals for four generations, said
Nancy Maza, who won the Bull Shoals historical quilt raffle last
year, has donated the quilt back to the museum for hanging. It
was the first item to be placed in the museum, she said.

For additional
information about the museum, the historical society, or to lend
items for museum, contact the Bull Shoals Historical Society by
calling Harper (445-4750) or Mrs. Morrow at 445-4694, or by mail
at P.O. Box 150, Bull Shoals, AR 72619.